Photo by Ana Good.
spy pro
Jim Casteel and his daughter, Crystal Hubbard, inside their family-owned Spy Pro Shop in the Greystone Park Business Center off U.S. 280.
Jim Casteel is a big proponent of hiding in plain sight. A private investigator for more than 26 years, Casteel knows the techniques and tools it takes to catch someone red-handed.
Inside his newly opened Spy Pro Shop, located in the Greystone Park Business Center, cleverly hidden cameras and James Bond-like gadgets cover the walls and fill the display cases.
“We hope to equip do-it-yourselfers and provide private investigator services all under the same roof,” Casteel said.
The inspiration for the brick-and-mortar business came in the summer of 2015 when it became clear that more and more PIs were in need of easy-to-obtain, high-quality surveillance gear, Casteel said. Many local PIs picked up the latest gear at their yearly convention, but when plans for that fell through, Casteel seized the opportunity and began conceptualizing plans for a store that would serve professionals and amateurs alike.
Rather than just sell machine-made equipment, Casteel knew he would also sell his own creations — think tiny hidden cameras and disguised recording devices — as well.
Even before he became a PI and built custom gadgets to aid in his own work, Casteel said he fooled around with cameras and the inner workings of electronics for as long as he can remember. His father and grandfather retired from the military, and they both specialized in mechanics and electronics, he said.
“My grandfather used to say that if someone was smart enough to invent it, you should be smart enough to take it apart and put it back together,” said Casteel.
Building and wiring were just part of his childhood, he said.
Inside the back room of his shop, spare parts, wires and tiny cameras sit waiting for Casteel’s next invention. Careful not to reveal exactly where he’s hidden cameras before, Casteel said it’s often where people least expect it.
“Let’s just say I like to hide cameras and recording devices in ordinary household items,” he said.
But for all the mystery and trickery that is involved in his trade, Casteel is also all about doing things by the book.
He was front and center in efforts to make it Alabama law for PIs to be licensed through the state’s regulatory board. When it finally happened a few years ago, Casteel was in the room when Gov. Robert Bentley signed the law into effect.
“The licensing not only protects us as PIs, but it also protects the consumers,” Casteel said.
Today, Alabama consists of about 120 licensed private investigators, ensuring quality and keeping the business and benefits of the trade within state lines, Casteel said. Before the licensing law, the state would lose a lot of money when customers sought licensed PIs outside of Alabama — something that doesn’t happen as often anymore, he said.
Casteel is now the president of the Alabama Private Investigators Association and is a member of several associations, including the Counsel of Investigative Leaders, the National Association of Investigative Specialists, the Alabama Private Investigator’s Association and the National Council of Investigation and Security Services. He is also a licensed PI in Alabama, Florida and Texas.
“That helps when some of the investigations we do take us across state lines, especially because surveillance and recording laws vary drastically from state to state,” Casteel said.
Whether he’s tailing an individual suspected of cheating on a spouse, or a former employee suspected of disability fraud, Casteel said he and his employees are successful because of a combination of experience, tools and training. Casteel said he’s been known to hunker down under camouflage equipment, set up surveillance at pricey condos along the Gulf and photograph culprits from half a football field away using powerful lenses.
Calls for spouse surveillance always pick up around the holidays, when men and women tend to become more secretive, he said. They might only be acting sneaky to buy a special gift for their loved one, he said, but on the other hand, that special gift might not be coming home.
Calls for surveillance also pick up when the school year begins and ends, he said.
“Anytime there are any drastic changes in schedules, red flags get raised,” he said.
Because of the sensitive matter of surveillance, often times involving infidelity, children and custody cases, Casteel always recommends retaining a lawyer before employing his services.
“Surveillance isn’t cheap,” he said. “It can sometimes cost as much as $3,500-$6,500 per case, so I always tell people to ask a lawyer if what we will be able to photograph or videotape will benefit them in trial.”
That’s where the other side of his shop comes in, he said.
For those not able to afford the high cost of hiring professionals, Casteel’s shop offers the tools necessary to help catch a thief in the act or secretly record an important conversation for a fraction of the cost.
“We sell equipment ranging everywhere from $39 to several hundred dollars — something to fit everyone’s budget,” he said.
The store also offers personal protection products, especially for women, which range from flashlight stun guns to pepper spray cans and sharp keychain add-ons. A kids’ section provides entertainment for spies in the making. Just recently, Casteel has also been repairing and rebuilding hoverboards following their sudden spike in popularity.
“We do a little bit of everything, discreetly and professionally,” he said.
For more information, visit Casteel’s website at spyproshop.org or call 824-4492. Spy Pro Shop is at 5511 U.S. 280 East, Suite 218.
